David t



(No Model.)

D. T. BROWN.

WIRE TIGHTENER.

N0. 388,626. Patented Aug. `28, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID T. BROWN, OF WALKER, MISSOURI.

WIRE-TIGHTENER.

Application tiled May 12, 1888.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID T. BROWN, of Walker, in the county of Vernon and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in \Vire-Iighteners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improved wirc-tightcucr for fence and other wire; and it consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed. i

In the drawings, Figurel is aperspective view of the device as in use. Fig. 2. is aseotional view of the device, and Fig. 3 is a detail View of the holder, The improved device is shown as comprising a gripper, A, for the wire, a rotating head or body, B, supporting said gripper, aholder, C, by which to support said body, and a handle, D, by which to turn the body and the gripper connected therewith. The body B in the construction shown has the gripper secured to it and projecting from one of its ends, is provided with a circular portion, b, journaled in a suitable box, c, on holder C, and has the handleD atits rear end, such handle being an ordinary crank slotted at its inner end to receive an angular portion of the body.

The gripper is preferably formed of two arms, a a, secured at one end to the body B, preferably in a slot, b, formed in the end oi' said body, and such arms are pivoted at such end with relation to each other, so that their opposite or outer ends maybe moved apart and together in the operation of the device. In the construction shown the arms are pivotcd together at their inner or rear ends and to the head or body at E, as shown. At its outer end the gripper has its sides curved or inclined approximately to a point at its eX- tremity, while near such end I provide the gripper with an opening, F, for the wire to be stretched. In order to secure or clamp these arms tightly together in stretching the wire, I provide an adjustable connection, G, which may be slidalong the arms of the gripper to position to hold the free end or jaws of same snugly together or to release them, as may be desired. The opening F is'attained by notching or slotting the inner edges of the arms, as shown.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388.626, dated August 28, 1888.

Serial No. 273,749. (Nomodel.)

taken up in a twist, as shown, the inclined or curved sides operating to prevent the wire from becoming twisted around the gripper, as will be readily understood.

It will be understood that ordinarily the operator will grasp the holder with the left hand and turn the crank with the right hand. However, for use by left-handed persons the holder may be reversed and grasped by the right hand, while the left is used to turn the crank-handle. i

The construction is simple and will be found efficient and easy of operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A wire-tighteuer comprising a head or body provided with a gripper for the wire, formed of two arms or sections pivoted with relation to each other, and a holder to which said head or body is journaled, substantially as set forth.

2. A wiretightener comprising a head or body, a holder to which said head or body is journaled, the gripper formed of two arms connected to the head or body and pivoted with relation to each other, and an adjustable connection between the said arms, whereby they maybe clamped firmly together when twisting the wire, substantially as set forth.

3. The improved wire-tightener consisting of a holder, and a head or body portionjournaled to said holder aud provided with a gripper having near its outer end a transverse opening for the wire to be stretched, and having its edges inclined or curved toward such end, substantially as set forth.

4. The improved wire-tightener comprising a head or body, a gripper consisting of arms connected with said head or body and pivoted with relation to each other, the holder to which such head or body is journaled, and the handle whereby to turn such part, substantially as set forth.

IOO

5. The Wire-tightener herein described,eon clined or curved, and the adjustable connecssting of the head' 0r body, the handle by tion whereby said arms may be clamped t0- to which to turn it, and the holder to which ib is gether7 substantially as set forth. journaled, the gripper Consisting of arms con- 5 nected with the head or body and pivoted DAVID T BROWN with relation to each other,such arms having Vtnesses: near their outer ends slots or notches forming E. XV. RANSDELL,

a guide-opening and having such ends in S. D. BUCK. 

